


Deep Space Nine: Among Us

by spookyfan2



Category: Among Us (Video Game), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26512582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spookyfan2/pseuds/spookyfan2
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	Deep Space Nine: Among Us

_O'Brien, Personal Log, Stardate 47581.3._

_I've got to leave a record of this bizarre but... admittedly fun day here on the station. You see, at first I thought people were losing their minds or... or stricken with some sort of hysteria, but once the ball got rolling, I realized I could hardly blame them for their behavior!_

  


  
_I started my day like any other. I probably would have noticed something was amiss sooner if I weren't so self absorbed that morning, running through my maintenance schedule in my head while walking on autopilot towards Ops. After using the replicator, though, I noticed that almost everybody in the room was practically glued to their PADD systems, seemingly disregarding usual protocols._

_It gets weirder. When I asked the nearest fella what everyone was so taken by, he merely laughed and told me to bring my own PADD to Commander Sisko, and all would become clear..._

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

"Commander, I feel as though I'm missing out on some sort of joke!" Miles began, stepping into Sisko's office. He did not fail to notice Sisko's own PADD lying on his desk, as if he were just using it.

"Ah, Chief O'Brien!" Sisko said, with an enthusiastic gesture he reserved for his closest friends. Miles knew this meant Ben was in a good mood. "Give me your PADD system, you have _got_ to try this new game!"

Ben stood and swept his way towards Miles, accepting the device Miles had produced from his pocket. "Game, sir? You mean a computer game?"

"Yes! Hang on just a moment... done!" Ben said, pressing the device back into Miles's palms with a grin. "Downloaded!"

Ben hopped back to his desk and eagerly picked up his own PADD, just as Miles looked at the title screen for a game apparently called "Among Us" lighting up his PADD display.

"Sir, are you aware practically every one out there in Ops is playing this-"

"Chief, trust me." Ben said with a quick glance up from his device. "You'll be hooked in no time!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The code isn't working."

"Keep trying it, it will work eventually."

"That's not- this wasn't programmed very well, was it?"

Miles O'Brien was sitting across from Kira Nerys in Ops, thoroughly nonplussed by his friends' new addiction.

"It's a game from the 21st century, what do you expect? Just keep trying it, you're going to love this!"

"Am I the only one that finds it odd that everyone seems to have dropped their duties to play this thing?" Miles sighed. "I'd think that you of all people would- Oh, I'm in!"

"I see you!" Kira shouted enthusiastically. 

Miles noticed the room he had joined was already full of players, and judging from some of the usernames, they were people on the station closest to he and Kira. 

"Huh, look at these little astronauts." Miles chuckled, amused but not yet sold on the novelty of this thing. "I'm assuming you're this red one here, named 'Bajor Major'..."

"You know it. And your username is... Modus Operandi?"

"Yeah, get it?" Miles said, disappointed Kira didn't seem to get his joke. "It's a term used frequently in murder mysteries, and the shortened version - M.O. - is my initials!"

"...Oh! That's nice." Kira responded, with a half convincing smile. 

"Let's see... Odo just put 'Chief of Security'... 'Rule 60' must be Quark..."

Miles continued to match the cluster of colorful astronauts and usernames to his friends, knowing this private server was likely comprised of them all. 

"Who's Johnny Bench?" Miles asked, after assuming Xxtrill_troublexX was Jadzia. 

"Commander Sisko," Kira began with a shrug. "Don't ask me why he chose that name, because I don't know."

"Well it looks like we're all here. When does the ga- Oh, the countdown started!"

Surprised at his own excitement, Miles shifted in his seat when he realized the game was about to begin. He learned the basic rules of the game from Kira, and found himself eager to at least make his first attempt a good one. Crossing his fingers he wouldn't be thrust into the role of Impostor on his first go, he noticed Kira swiveled her chair to hide her screen from him.

"This is silly..." Miles muttered to himself as a group behind him groaned in frustration. Apparently they had just lost their own game.

Miles was relieved to see he was delegated the role of 'Crewmate'. _Good,_ Miles thought. _Now I just have to fix up the ship and not get killed. Pretty much sums up my life._

Miles glanced at Kira. She was had brought her knees up as if to prevent Miles from sneaking a peak at her screen. _Is she trying to hide her role, or is she just sticking to the rules?_ Miles asked himself.

When Miles returned his gaze to his PADD, he noticed everyone had left the starting cafeteria room except he and Julian, who was named "Dr. Serve".

Inexplicably unnerved at the blank expression etched upon the face of Julian's unmoving avatar, Miles promptly left the room in search of a task. Miles's vague excitement at finally getting to play a round of 'Among Us' quickly turned into a feeling of terror as Dr. Serve broke out into a run and chased Miles into the adjacent hallway, only moving when he did. 

"He-!" Miles began, but stopped himself upon remembering not to communicate with other players until a discussion was taking place. _This guys following me! He waited for me to move, even after everyone had left!_

Unbeknownst to Miles, Kira glanced at over after his brief outburst, and couldn't help but grin at how genuinely unnerved he looked. _Relax, Chief!_ Kira thought. _It's not like there's any latinum on the line!_

Eager to throw off Julian, Miles danced around the table in Admin, only to grow increasingly disturbed as Julian followed suit. _Mother of mercy, he's out to get me._ Miles panicked, and suppressed the urge to inform Kira of Julian's highly suspicious behavior. His only hope would be to hold out until another crewmate arrived to let him scan his card in peace. 

Suddenly, even though the game had just begun, a body was reported, pulling Miles and Julian from their tango and thrusting them into a debate. 

"Oh thank God!" Miles was the first to cry as everyone's mic unmuted. "Julian's the impostor!"

"What? No I'm not, _O'Brien's_ the impostor!" Julian had the audacity to respond. "He waited for everyone to leave before running right for the nearest vent! He would have used it had I not stopped him..."

"Will you two be quiet, we've got a murder on our hands!" Odo's unmistakable voice rang out. "Unless one of you saw the other kill Jadzia, we've got bigger issues at hand! I found her body in O2!"

"J-Jadzia's dead...?" Julian began. "But she's the best at this game!"

"Probably why the Impostor wanted her out of the picture." Odo stated. 

"Well, it wasn't _me_ ," Quark chimed in. "I was busy trying to make heads or tails out of this map! Y'know, we _really_ should have gone to Polus-"

"Yes, Quark, thank you for telling us it wasn't you. I'm _thoroughly_ convinced." Odo said, oozing with sarcasm. 

"It's the same every game with you two!" Kira's voice shouted, both from the PADD and from Mile's immediate right where she was sitting. "Can we skip this song and dance and listen to everyone's alibis? I was in weapons."

"Why were you there?" Sisko's calm and collected voice sounded for the first time since the round began. "I saw you "Fix" the wiring in the cafeteria when the round started. If you're going to pretend to complete tasks, at least be consistent. Last I checked, weapons had no wiring!"

"I... I forgot to check the arrows for the other wiring spots." Kira replied, not too convincingly. "Look, it's how I start every game on The Skeld, okay? I go straight into weapons!"

"Oh, I'm not convinced, Major Kira." Ben said in a way that made even Miles suspect Kira. "The body was found near there in O2, wasn't it? And when we first began, everyone but you and Jadzia ran _WEST._ The OPPosite direction!"

"You're... _certain_ of this, Commander?" Odo questioned. 

"Now hold on, Odo could have self reported!" Kira cried. "You have to admit, the body was found strikingly fast-"

"Yes, it was." Odo admitted. "Thank you, Major, I like to think I'm at least _this_ good at my job."

"Yes, in _deed_!" Ben replied. "Vote Kira, I've got a good hunch on this one!"

"Well, I for one still think Miles is an impostor, even if he didn't kill Jadzia." Julian uselessly added.

"I'm new at this, alright? Get off my back!" Miles groaned. "Anyway, I'm skipping. I just want to mind my own business and complete tasks."

"Sorry Kira, but I'm voting for you." Quark declared. "The truth is, you're just the most suspicious at the moment."

"If Kira is innocent, Quark, you're next." Odo responded without missing a beat. 

" _Well,"_ Quark gasped. " _Perhaps_ I'll just skip for now, I mean honestly it's a bit too soon to say."

Before Miles could close the chat box and vote skip, time ran out revealing only one vote for Kira, courtesy of Ben. One vote was made against Ben by Kira, and Julian had of course voted for Miles. Before Miles could accuse Julian of jumping to wild conclusions, the game resumed with everyone's mics muted. 

Not wanting to stick around this time, Miles took off into the hallway, following "Chief of Security" and "Rule 60". _If anyone is incapable of cooperating as impostors, it'd be these two._ Miles thought to himself. _I'm bound to be safe._

Odo was running toward the reactor, which just so happened to be where Miles's next task was located. Quark followed jitteringly, as if wanting to keep in sight of at least two people at a time.

Thankful Julian decided to let up the chase from last round, Miles got to work playing Simon says with the reactor. "Y'know, something as important as a ships reactor core wouldn't have a stupid bypass system like a memorization game." Miles couldn't help but comment.

"It's just a game!" Kira said without removing her eyes from her screen. "Otherwise I would have found the culprit who killed Jadzia by now."

Just as Miles finished with the reactor, an emergency meeting was called by none other than Quark.  
  
"Guys I saw Odo vent." Quark said matter-of-factly.

"Please." Odo said, unamused. "I almost wish I _could_ vent, considering you've been following behind me this entire game."

"Well, can you blame me?" Quark asked in a bewildered tone. "Times like this, one should stick with the _Chief of Security!"_

"And now you claim you saw me vent?" Odo scoffed. "Sounds to me like you were just hoping to accuse someone!"

"Well," Miles spoke up. "I can at least confirm those two were definitely together."

"So, either Quark is straight up lying or he really _did_ see Odo vent." Julian said, thinking hard.

"I for one, am inclined to trust Odo." Ben admitted. "Odo isn't careless enough to vent while knowingly being followed by Quark."

"That is a _great_ point, Commander," Kira said with a hint of hostility. "But I haven't forgotten you accusing _me_ last discussion!"

"Regardless, our way forward is clear," Ben responded coolly. "Let's vote out Quark, and if we're wrong, we can worry about Odo next."

"Wha-! Hey, I merely reported Odo venting!" Quark defended. "I wouldn't have ran all the way to the cafeteria _just_ to lie like that!"

"Vote Quark." Julian commanded.

"Quark." Kira agreed. 

"Sure, why not?" Miles sighed. "We can boot Odo if it turns out Quark was innocent."

The votes came in. Quark's protesting was cut short as the game declared he was, in fact, not the impostor. 

_Ah, well..._ Miles shrugged as Quark's character drifted into the void of space. _Quark was never gonna get our trust over Odo anyway._

Knowing to be wary of Odo, Miles ran off to electrical to reroute the power systems. Miles was on the verge of completing his tasks, and the progression bar toward the top of the screen was moving decently quick. Just when Miles began to wonder why nobody was starting a meeting to kick Odo, the now obvious suspect, an emergency meltdown began in Reactor. 

_I don't have time for that!_ Miles thought to himself as he attempted to complete his task in electric. _Hopefully we finish tasks before that becomes a problem. Or somebody else takes care of it..._

To Mile's relief, the emergency seemed to have been taken care of quickly enough, but just as Miles was about to finish wiring in Storage, a meeting was called. 

"Argh, what now?" Julian moaned. 

"You know 'what now!' We need to vote for Odo!" Ben cried, as the man who called the meeting. "Or did you already forget Quark's dying argument!?"

"Well, no, but Odo helped me fix the reactor just now!" Kira claimed. "Besides, wasn't Julian convinced Miles was guilty?"

"Wait just a minute," Miles interrupted. "That was a misunderstanding! Julian spooked me so I avoided completing tasks so I wouldn't be a sitting duck for him! If anything, Julian's sus for thrusting blame onto me three seconds into the game..."

"I still think Miles is sus, but what matters most now is that we vote for Odo!" Julian replied. "Worry about Miles later, I'm certain Odo is one of the impostors, at the very least. We should all think so! Hell, why wasn't this meeting called immediately after we learned Quark was innocent?"

"Well, you see..." Ben replied. "I stayed in the cafeteria to call a meeting, but the meeting cooldown was in affect. The button would not open."

"Isn't that only ten seconds long?" Kira asked.

"Yes, but the sabotage on the reactor was timed _very_ well on the Impostor's part." Ben made clear. "It's as if the Impostor was trying to delay a meeting for as long as possible, as a meeting can not be called during an emergency. I don't know who killed Jadzia, but we aren't safe until we vote out Odo. He and Quark may not be buddy-buddy with each other, but Quark wouldn't fabricate a random lie about Odo venting if Quark was truly innocent."

"It's Odo and Julian." Miles added as he cast a vote for Odo.

"It's Odo and Miles." Julian retorted as he cast a vote for Odo.

"I still suspect Kira." Ben added, before casting his vote for Odo.

As the votes tallied up against Odo, Miles did not fail to notice that Odo had not said a single word the entire debate. He either knew nothing he would say could divert suspicion, or he was genuinely at a loss as to what was happening. Miles knew it was likely the former. 

Odo's avatar drifted across the screen, revealing he was an Impostor. 

"One down!" Kira gloated, while Miles sat forward indicating he was taking things seriously.

"If I die, vote for Julian." Miles blurted out just as the mic cut, hoping everyone had heard him. 

_Just how many tasks are left?_ Miles wondered as he set out to complete his final task. _That bar is looking pretty full... I'm sure Jadzia and Quark would have finished their tasks as ghosts by now..._

Miles was so certain Julian was the culprit at this point, that he wasn't even afraid when the lights went out because he had just seen Julian exit the cafeteria in the opposite direction. 

_I guess I can fix lights, since I know Julian isn't near me..._

Miles entered electric once again, this time to restore light to the ship. Miles didn't want to put off completing his task, but he knew working in the dark would benefit no one. 

That's when it happened. By the time Miles saw Kira's avatar waiting for him by the breaker controls, it was too late. With their avatars practically overlapping, "Bajor Major" grabbed "Modus Operandi" by the neck, and gave it a sharp twist in a shocking animation that actually startled Miles. 

Despite knowing what he just saw, Miles was having a hard time believing it. He looked up at Kira across the dashboard expecting to see her craned over her PADD like usual, only to instead meet her gaze.

She grinned, simultaneously mischievous and friendly in nature, as if to say _That's just how the cookie crumbles!_

Regret filled Miles as he realized he let his little rivalry with Julian cloud his judgement. _The Commander was right all along! How could I have been so stupid!_

Resisting the urge to fling himself into Ben's office and tell him in person that Kira is the second Impostor, Miles began to begrudgingly finish his final task as a ghost.

While working, he wondered whether or not Kira would self report. He didn't see why not, considering he had just foolishly told the group to vote for Julian if he wound up dead. But the seconds ticked on, and no report was made. The task completion bar was mere millimetres from completion at this point, and Miles felt hope welling up inside him that perhaps the age old solution of simply completing tasks would actually salvage the game for his team.

Then, to his horror, his body was reported by... Julian Bashir.

"I found Cheif Obrien _dead_ in electric!!" Julian cried frantically. 

"Self report." Kira immediately said.

"What?!" Julian said in confusion.

"You heard Miles!" Kira spoke before Ben could speak. "If he died, then Julian did it!"

"If I were the impostor," Julian said collecting himself. "Why would I kill Miles after he said something like that, _and_ go on to report it?"

Miles was so wrapped up in the debate, that he almost failed to notice the chat window displaying messages from his ghost friends. 

> "Please Ben, go with your gut!" --Xxtrill_troublexX

> "Julian was a fool to report it. Should have just done tasks." --Rule60

> "I think I did my job well enough. Kira shouldn't be the prime suspect!" --Chief of Security

> "I still can't believe you vented in front of me, knowing they wouldn't believe me..." --Rule60

"He raises a good point. Therefore, it's obvious Kira is our suspect." Ben said, to which Jadzia filled the ghost chat with smile emoticons. 

"Hold on their Commander," Julian said. "You've been out to get Kira all along, and I'm starting to suspect it's all a rouse to avoid detection."

"What are you talking about, Dr. Bashir?" Ben sternly replied. "She's the only one who could have killed Jadzia at the very beginning!"

"So you say... But Odo was the one who found the body, and he was the first impostor. Naturally, you would thrust the blame onto someone else."

"Look, we need to honor Miles's dying wish!" Kira interjected. 

"No! I need to honor the hunch I've had all along!" Ben shouted. "It's Kira!"

"And I think, considering what Miles said, that anyone who _was_ innocent would suspect _me_..." Julian said with dawning realization. "The fact that you still want to vote for Kira makes me think you aren't thinking like a genuine crewmate at all...!"

> "Julian you IDIOT." Xxtrill_troublexX

> "He- He ruined _everything!!"_ \--Rule60

> "Hah. I knew Kira wouldn't be stupid enough to self report. Julian signed his own death warrant, I'm afraid." -- Chief of Security

  
The votes were cast, and the deed was done. Ben voted exactly as he said he would, and voted for Kira. Julian also voted exactly as he said he would, and voted for Ben.

But, to Miles's horror, Kira did not vote for who she claimed she would vote for at all, and instead voted for Ben.

It was at this point everyone knew Kira was the lying impostor all along, but as Ben was ejected from the ship and into the void of space, the game came to an end as Kira (an impostor) and Julian (a crewmate) were the last two members left alive. 

"Ahaha, yes!" Kira laughed with glee as everyone returned to the game lobby, mics unmuted. "Thank you for playing the part _so_ well, Odo!"

"Oh, it was nothing. I knew a sacrificial play would probably lead to victory."

"I can't _believe_ it!" Miles cried. "I was sitting next to Kira this entire time! Why did you have to be acting SUS the whole time, Julian!?!?"

"Maybe I need to rethink my play strategy..." Julian muttered.

"Well, now." Ben breathed. "I suppose if I'm to lose, I'm happy I was at least correct all along."

"Aw, sorry for tricking you, Miles." Kira said in a half-assed apology. "But I knew you would be the type of player to drop your tasks and come fix the lights."

"I- Alright, that's it, lets go again!" Miles yelled with enthusiasm "This time, _nobody_ will be able to fool me!"

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

_O'Brien, Personal Log, Stardate 47581.3._

_And there you have it. What at first seemed like some sort of mass hysteria, turned out to be a highly addicting game of truth and lies, trust and betrayal. It became clear to me that what was happening here at the station wasn't some anomaly, but the natural reaction any human would have when faced with such a highly addicting game, especially in the midst of what most would consider a pretty stressful life._

_Well, consider me grateful this game exists!_


End file.
